Choreographer/Filmmaker: Natalie Hardy
Title of work: Vulnerability of the Individual
Music: Just Drums (Instrumental) & Free (Instrumental) by Type Beat – Intro. by E’LAST.
Dancers: Natalie Hardy, Julia Villaflor and Siobhan Dockray
‘Vulnerability of the Individual’ explores how one person alone can be manipulated and controlled by a group of people, and to explain that everyone can discover their true capabilities and power. To explore this theme of manipulation, the piece is performed as a trio where one of the dancers experience being manipulated by the other two dancers. This manipulation is formed through a puppet-like scene where two dancers control the single dancer in a puppet-like manner where their movements are copied and replicated by the single dancer. These movements are be accompanied by music with a repetitive heavy beat to engage the audience in the geometric movements the puppet masters are forcing onto the single dancer.
After the audience experiences the venerability of the individual dancer through a puppet-like control, the solo dancer begins to explore and discover their true capabilities. The dancer breaks the forums they were confined into that were created by the other two dancers and complete a series of movements focused on exploring how their body can move and flow without the control of a group of people.
This solo discovery and exploration of the dancer’s movements are interrupted by one of the puppet masters coming back onto the stage to resume control over the dancer embodying the puppet. However, because the solo dancer was able to explore their unique way of movement and discover their true capabilities, they begin to fight back, and resist being controlled again. This message is portrayed through resuming music with a repetitive heavy beat that highlights the conflict between the two dancers. After the music ends, the dancer who was embodying the venerable individual person (puppet) takes the puppet master’s place as they were able to utilize their discoveries and eventually win the battle.
